Trust: Promoting Interdependence, Knowledge Sharing & Collaboration in Scrum Teams

Abstract

Developing software using Scrum is predominantly a team-based activity. Consequently it is an intensely social endeavour. The Agile Manifesto strongly advocates using teamwork to develop software. Scrum is the most widely adopted Agile software development method currently being used both worldwide and in Ireland. The success of the Scrum team follows from the effective interdependence of the team members. Interdependent teams trust each other implicitly. However, little research has been conducted into the development and fostering of trust in co-located Scrum teams. Using a Constructivist Grounded theory study involving one team from a large multinational software development organisation in the West of Ireland we investigate how trust is developed and fostered in the team.